Grease plug



Mah 27, 1923.

A 1,449,934 J. H. BECKER GMO/IMU vand more particularly, to

Patented ar. 27, 1923,

. 'FHCB JOHN E. BECKER, 0F MANSFIELD, OHIIO.

GREASE PLUG.

Application led March 3, 1921., Serial No. 449,299.

To ZZ whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, JoHN H. BECKER, aI citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mansfield, county of Richland, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and vuseful Improvement in Grease Plugs, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in whichl have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The ypresent device relates to grease plugs grease plugs adapted to be used on the connecting rods of locomotives and the like, where the rod is provided with an integrally formed boss or housing adapted to receive the grease plug or cup proper. rlhe present cup is particularly adapted for use on locomotives and is so arranged that it is not easily lost nor can the ythreads be stripped or crossed in mounting the cup in place. Further advantage is the ease in removing and refilling the present cup. Provision is made so that the cup can be normally seated inthe boss on the rod and the cup is provided with an unthreaded end portion adapted to correctly seat the cup in position so that it will engage the threads onthe boss without fear of crossing or stripping these threads. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists ofthe means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mech anism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.`

In said annexed drawing Fig. l is a side elevation of the engine rod showing the present cpp in place thereon; and Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the cup and rod.

As illustrated, the engine rod l is provided with an upstanding boss 2 which is interiorly threaded as at 3 for the upper portion of its length and this boss is connected by a suitable aperture 4 with the bearing 5 in the rod. The present grease plug is essentially a hollow metal cylinder 6 having its exterior threaded as at 7 for the major portion of its length but having an extending unthreaded end 8 which is of substantially the same diameter as the bottom of the threads so that this unthreaded portion fits snugly within the threads 3. on the boss and acts as a guide when the cup lis placed in position. At the upper end the cup is provided with an integral nut portion 9 adapted to be engaged by awrench or the like and this nut portion is provided with a centrally located, threaded aperture 10. Within the grease cup is mounted a piston or plunger ll which is connected -to a'suitahle threaded rod l2 adapted to engage thethreaded aperture 10 in the cap and this rod is provided with a squared end 13 so that the piston can be moveddownwardly to expel the grease. The lower face of the plunger is provided with one or more recesses 14 acting as keys for the grease and tending to prevent accidental turning of the plunger.

This grease cup is adapted to be filled With the plunger' 11 in its upper or retracted position and then mounted in the boss on the connecting rod. By then screwing down on the plunger rod thegrease may be-'readily expelled 'through the aperture into the bearing which is to be supplied with lubricant.

In the form of` grease cup in common `use by the railroads, the cylindrical grease cup is usually provided with only a few threads and is really merely a cap or plug. The boss itself acts as the real grease cup and ,is filled with grease, after which the plug is applied and then by screwing the plug downwardly, the grease in the boss is forced into the bearing. When a grease plug of this type is used on a locomotive, and the boss -is filled with grease, it is hard to makey the threads on the plug and boss meet correctly and many threads are crossedl and stripped in placing the grease cups on the rods. Vhen this happens the cups easily work loose and are lost andthe total loss on many railroads runs into thousandsof plugs in the course of a year.

In the present grease cup the lower unthreaded end of the cup acts as a guide when the cup is first placed' in positionand thus the threads meet and engage correctly so that-the cup may be screwed down tight against the boss. As shown, the present cup is provided withlan annular top 15 having a shoulder 16 adapted to fit down, snuglyv lio the same, is almost entirely eliminated.- No

locking nut is needed With the present device because the shoulder on the cup contacts=-- with' the top of the boss and loc-ks the cup in position when it is-serewedQdown tight; As the present cup is threaded over the 'major-'portionot its-length there are suffi-y cientthre'ads so thatv the cupi may bey screwed dovvnyve'ry'tight into place without danger of-f'hreaking orv stripping" the threads.

the) ordinaryv type oi"` greasel cup or thef grease 'inn-st be expe ledlby screwiilithe plug into `position and-this means 'th'atthe'plug'innert'v be screwed down against 'h-'apressiireithat a Wrench must bervused,

-tlius,1f'ithe 'threads'l are not correctly engage'di; they 7vvil'l'be cut or stripped lin trying tf'cefthe pliig into 'place'. lIn the present vcap/*this difficulty is' overcome' because"l the cpiitseflt holds the grease and lthe-V cavity in tlfiehossk merely receives the lcup, and lthere-v fore the: threads are nfot liableltobecorne chokedA andlthey-frna'y be engagedl correctly and the cupscrewed down into-place before any grease isiexpelfled into the bearing. n

I lia-vealso show'nzanfapertnre Q0 Vnear the 'bottoni ofthelplugbu't vabove a; `few threads to, ,allow lio't'g'ases to escape before `the plug isconpletelyrenovied, to prevent thelplug blow'ving'V ont' when iinsere'ived, and lwv'iigboiling vhotfgr'ease1 tobe blown-von 'the yse'rg' "-as'e hafppensffWith-present vsolid types f "'ther'finod'es' of? applying the principle of lowing; claims -or the:equivalent'z of` such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctlyv ,claimI asmyr invention 1/ A`` grease cupfor locomotive connecting yiggrlsyziiid the like, comprising a hollow cylinder adapted to be threaded in the boss on' zthe'ubeafringztobefllubricated and having va fitted' in said cylinder and havingatlireaded Ste/lll Such of said? A plunger y having; a recess ladapted" to rotatively; engagewith thegrease llingsaid cylinder.

2. A grease cup rods andfthe like',` comprising? a'fholflow cylinder adapted t'obe threaded-in the-bossfon theRb'earing to belublicated and'ha-vingya smooth nnerlor,said` eylnderwhaving. its lower'- end unthreaded to serve as gide and being-provided at itsupper endfwith an integral caphavin'g -a threaded aperture' 4and an overhanging :shoulder` adapted-to seat against" saidlb'osgV and a'plfnger slida'bly fitted in saidlcylinderlandhaving' threaded stern -engagin'gsneli aperture7 theloWrf-fa'ce of' said phingerhbeing recessedy toflxen'ga ivitllrthe'- grease filling' said "-cylinlel Sad through' the threadedportieriof its" wail adapted to' Joel' cleared "by said pl'i'lnger-f-When theVV latter lisinhraised position. y

Jornvy BECKER.;

Signed by me; this; 26th day of February,

v so for* loe-oniotiveconnecting f 

